Home Office

Refugees: Children

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 12 February (HL5949), based on the UNHCR assessment of the number and needs of unaccompanied children in conflict regions, what is their estimate of (1) the number, and (2) the needs, of unaccompanied children from Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is not in a position to comment on the number or needs of unaccompanied children in particular countries. All asylum seeking children who arrive in the UK and are unaccompanied are referred to a local authority. Those local authorities hold responsibility for assessing their needs and providing services based on the outcome of the assessment.The Government is clear about our moral responsibility to assist those who are suffering as a result of conflict and recognises that those fleeing persecution have a legal entitlement to protection. We worked with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to design and launch the ‘Children at Risk’ resettlement scheme. On the UNHCR’s recommendation, the scheme will not target unaccompanied children alone, but will be extended to all ‘Children at Risk’ as defined by the UNHCR who are in the Middle East and North Africa. We have committed to resettling several hundred individuals in the first year with a view to resettling up to 3,000 individuals over the lifetime of this Parliament, the majority of whom will be children.As stated above, we cannot comment on the number of children in other countries. However, figures on asylum applications for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in the UK are published quarterly by the Home Office in the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics October to December 2015, is available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2015.There were 142 applications for asylum from UASCs, excluding dependants, for nationals of Sudan during 2015. No such applications were received from nationals of South Sudan in 2015. UNHCR have published statistics on estimated numbers of children in countries, including South Sudan. These can be found at: http://data.unhcr.org/SouthSudan/regional.php.

Refugees: Children

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government with whom refugee children will be required to register in order to be admitted into the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As announced on 4 May we are looking to admit children who were already present in the EU before 20 March 2016. This is the date the EU-Turkey deal came into force.We are working with the relevant Member States, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other Non-Governmental Organisations and local authorities to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK.We will be flexible in our interpretation of what ‘registered’ means. We are not seeking to impose an overly burdensome legalistic requirement on children to prove they have formally ‘registered’ but we would expect clear evidence that they were present in Europe before 20 March

Refugees: Children

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what national measures are in place to ensure that clothing and shoes are available for refugee children on arrival in the UK.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with voluntary organisations to ensure the successful reception of unaccompanied child refugees on arrival in the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Any unaccompanied child who arrives in the UK receives clothing packs. All unaccompanied children present in the UK, regardless of their immigration status, are afforded the same level of care and support as British children. Unaccompanied refugee children brought to the UK through provisions in the Immigration Act 2016 will be given the appropriate support and care required. We continue to consult with local authorities on the best way to implement this legislation.Last year the UK received 3,043 asylum applications from unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We have robust measures in place to receive and safeguard them. In addition we have committed to section 67 in the Immigration Act 2016 to receive unaccompanied children from Europe where it is in their best interests.We are consulting with relevant non-governmental organisations, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), local authorities and relevant Member States on the best way to implement the Immigration Act 2016 provisions for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK. We will ensure we have the right support for unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in the UK from Europe whilst ensuring we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in UK.

Asylum: Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Sudanese asylum seekers were refused citizenship by the Home Office in each of the last five years, and in each year what percentage of total applicants that represented.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The available published information is on Sudanese nationals granted and refused British citizenship from 2010 to 2014. Information that breaks down the applicant’s previous immigration status is not currently available. Figures are provided in the table below.Sudanese nationals granted and refused British citizenship, 2010 to 2014YearTotal decisions in applications for British citizenshipGranted British citizenshipRefused British citizenshipRefusals of British citizenship as a percentage of total decisions2010970899717%20111,1551,086696%20121,052982707%2013671631406%2014369336339%Source:Immigration Statistics October to December 2015, Home Office, table cz_09.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/501997/citizenship-q4-2015-tabs.odsRefusals excluding administrative rejections where documentation or the correct fee were not initially submitted.Refusal includes withdrawn applications.Excludes South Sudan.Figures for 2015 will be published on 26th May 2016.The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on British citizenship refusals are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, October-December 2015’, available from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics.Data tables relating to British citizenship can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/501997/citizenship-q4-2015-tabs.ods

Refugees: Children

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities have offered places to unaccompanied refugee children from (1) Europe, and (2) Syria, and which councils other than Kent County Council have already filled their quota.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Prime Minister announced on 4 May and as set out in the new Immigration Act 2016, we will work to admit unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK. The very nature of this legislation means we must take the time to consult others before bringing final proposals on how to implement this scheme.We will consult local authorities to establish how best to implement this commitment and the recently announced Children at Risk resettlement scheme, which is the only other resettlement to include unaccompanied children, as part of our wider discussion with them about the transfer of unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have arrived spontaneously, which is designed to relieve the pressure on authorities such as Kent. We are not proposing to ask local authorities to distinguish between which unaccompanied children they accept.We are determined to ensure that no local authority is asked to take more than the local structures are able to cope with. That is why we are talking to local authorities and other partners including non-governmental organsations to ensure that capacity can be identified and the impact can be managed in a fair and controlled way.Work has already begun and we are committed to act as quickly as we can but it is important we take the necessary time to ensure we have the capacity to resettle and support those who are resettled. We must also ensure that we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.

Asylum: Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how, and through what channels, they plan to ensure that asylum seekers from Sudan attend English language classes and counselling sessions, so that they can be fully prepared for their asylum application hearing.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: All asylum seekers have access to publicly-funded legal advice and an interpreter to assist in presenting an accurate account of the reasons for their claim if English is not their first language.Asylum seekers are provided with information on how to access legal advice and signposts specialist organisations where they can find additional help, support, counselling and language provision.The Home Office funds Migrant Help to provide confidential and impartial advice and guidance to adult asylum seekers and their dependants in a language they understand. Their services include face-to-face advice for newly arrived asylum seekers in initial accommodation and a helpline and website providing information in 15 languages.

EU Immigration

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of proposals by the European Commission to fine EU member states €250,000 for every refugee they decline to allow into their country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: This is related to the European Commission’s proposal on a revised Dublin Regulation, which was published on 4 May 2016. Given the recent publication of this proposal and the significant amount of detail to consider, we are not in a position to give a clear view on this yet. An Explanatory Memorandum is due to be laid in Parliament in the week commencing 23 May which will include more detail of the government’s initial views. In any case the proposal is subject the UK’s opt-in protocol and we will only opt-in if it is in our national interest to do so.

Asylum: EU Law

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether improving the accessibility and clarity of the rules covering family reunion, and ensuring that those rules were more flexibility applied, would prevent perilous journeys being undertaken by children seeking asylum in the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our family reunion policy is intended to allow immediate family members, who formed part of a family unit before the refugee fled their country, to reunite in the UK with the refugee and rebuild their lives together. Those family members can apply from the country in which they are resident.

Department for International Development

St Helena: Airports

Lord Shutt of Greetland: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they now expect the new airport on St Helena to be opened.

Baroness Verma: There is no confirmed date for the commencement of scheduled services into St Helena airport. DFID is working closely with all interested parties to open the airport as soon as possible.

St Helena: Airports

Lord Shutt of Greetland: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the delay in opening the new airport on St Helena, whether the ship RMS St Helena will continue to operate beyond the advertised finishing date of 15 July.

Baroness Verma: DFID is currently in discussion with the St Helena Government to finalise arrangements for the extension of the RMS St Helena beyond July 2016.

St Helena: Aviation

Lord Shutt of Greetland: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that, when a Saturday air service begins to operate between Johannesburg and St Helena, those flights will provide connections with flights between South Africa and the UK that avoid an overnight stay in Johannesburg.

Baroness Verma: Based on the currently proposed schedule for regular flights between Johannesburg and St Helena, these will permit onward flight connections to and from the UK with a reasonable transfer time and which should not require overnight stays in Johannesburg in either direction.

Developing Countries: Education

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to become a founding donor of the new Education Cannot Wait fund at its launch at the World Humanitarian Summit.

Baroness Verma: The UK has played a leading role in the development of the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, which was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23rd May. The UK has committed to provide £30 million in support over two years to the new fund as a founding donor, which was announced by the International Development Secretary at the fund’s launch.

Department of Health

Telemedicine

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of fast broadband and mobile phones in sending diagnostic information between patients in their own homes and medical practitioners.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government supports the wider use of information technologies in health and social care and the creation of a paperless National Health Service by 2020. Investments in health technology were announced in the autumn statement and will help patients and staff access the services they need and facilitate use of online services and apps including those that enable communication between patients and their medical and other health and social care practitioners. The Government welcomes the recommendations to increase take-up of internet enabled services that were made by Martha Lane Fox in December 2015. These recommendations will inform the delivery of the National Implementation Board’s contribution to the implementation of the NHS strategic plan for England outlined in the NHS Five Year Forward View.

NHS: Procurement

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that the NHS supply chain does not include products that are produced with forced labour or modern versions of slavery.

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the recent British Medical Association report In Good Hands: Tackling labour rights concerns in the manufacture of medical gloves.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department has worked with its national contracting and logistics partner, NHS Supply Chain to develop a range of ethical procurement interventions that increase the scrutiny applied to suppliers, based on the risks presented. All suppliers contracted by NHS Supply Chain are required to adhere to the NHS Supply Chain – Supplier Code of Conduct. A copy of the Code of Conduct is attached. This code of conduct includes requirements for suppliers to work in line with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and makes specific reference to forced and compulsory labour. The Supplier Code of Conduct has been a contractual requirement of all Framework Agreements since 2009. For categories of products where the risk of labour standards abuses has been assessed as high, by the nature of the manufacturing processes, employment practices or location, NHS Supply Chain require all suppliers to implement a Labour Standards Assurance System to specified standards. NHS Supply Chain continually review the wider contract portfolio, and where appropriate, the Labour Standards Assurance System requirements will be applied to new contract areas. Contract terms will require suppliers to implement and improve their Labour Standards Assurance System, in line with stipulated milestones, during the life of the framework agreement. Suppliers are contractually required to evidence compliance by providing details of independent third party audits conducted on their Assurance System. Where suppliers do not meet the specified standard within the stipulated timescales, their contract will be suspended in the first instance, and then terminated if remediation actions are not undertaken in a suitably timely manner. NHS Supply Chain provides support for suppliers required to implement a labour standards assurance system with webinars that provide access to expert support and capability building material. In relation to the British Medical Association (BMA) report In Good Hands, all suppliers awarded on the current Framework Agreement for Examination and Sterile Surgical Gloves are subject to the NHS Supply Chain Code of Conduct and contractual requirements to operate a Labour Standards Assurance System. Since the framework agreement launched in December 2015, a webinar workshop has been held with all suppliers to explain the Labour Standards Assurance System and implications of the Modern Slavery Act. Of the manufacturers named in the BMA report, two are currently awarded under the NHS Supply Chain national framework agreement for medical gloves. In both cases the Department in conjunction with NHS Supply Chain has investigated the allegations thoroughly by working with specialist independent third party audit bodies, who have undertaken assessments at the identified facilities. Audit findings have not identified any specific cases of slavery or human trafficking, or any serious systemic abuses of worker or human rights, however, improvements in management procedures, communications and training were recommended to reduce the potential for abuses to arise. Both suppliers have acknowledged these findings and have agreed actions, as part of contractual remediation plans, to address these.



NHS Supply Chain Code of Conduct
(PDF Document, 193.01 KB)

Hospitals: Consultants

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Health Education England’s demand-led approach to the assessment of the number of consultant posts needed in highly specialist fields such as clinical pharmacology.

Lord Prior of Brampton: It is Health Education England’s responsibility to ensure that there is sufficient future supply of staff, including those needed in specialist fields, to meet the workforce requirements of the English health system. The Workforce Plan is built upon the needs of local employers, providers, commissioners and other stakeholders who, as members of its Local Education Training Boards (LETBs), shape the thirteen local plans. The Workforce Plan is predominately an aggregate of the local LETB plans, but the final national plan is only agreed with the advice and input of its clinical advisory groups and Patients’ Advisory Forum, as well as the Royal Colleges and other stakeholders.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 10 May (HL7949), what factors are thought to be responsible for differences in the number of serious adverse incidents of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) between each of the three years from 2010 to 2012 compared to 2013 and 2014; and whether the reference to professional standards applies only to clinicians or also to the activities of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in attempting to mitigate the risks of OHSS.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that whilst certain factors may increase the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), there is no agreed method to predict the amount of severe OHSS that will occur. Therefore, the Authority cannot infer what factors, if any, would cause year to year variation in the number of incidents reported. Professional clinical standards are set by the appropriate Royal Colleges and issued to guide clinicians and health professionals directly, not the HFEA.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bovine Tuberculosis: Exmoor National Park

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the effect on bovine health in Exmoor of the National Trust's advice to their tenant farmers not to participate in badger culls.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Alongside strengthening cattle testing and movement controls and improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, licensed badger control in areas where bovine TB is rife, like Exmoor, is an essential part of the Government’s 25-year strategy to eradicate the disease in England. Badger control licence applications from groups of local farmers and landowners are assessed against criteria that include the area of accessible land. Provided that enough land is accessible to achieve an effective badger population reduction across the wider area, Natural England can issue a licence. Thus, even if some local landowners do not participate, long term disease reduction benefits can still be realised across the wider area.